John and the books that could be written
Question from Hannah on 10/30/2012:

Father,

I have a question for you about Scripture. What does John mean when He says the whole world couldn't fit the books that could be written about everything Jesus did. I don't recall the passage, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I was wondering did he mean it literally? Thank you so much for all your help, father.

Answer by Fr. John Echert on 11/6/2012:

What Jesus said and did in the course of his three years of public ministry is finite, but considering how relatively little was committed to writing in the ancient time that the Gospels were written, for that period it would have been literally true. But also, there is a certainly hyperbole that is at play as well. Now, as to interpreting and understanding all that is related to what Jesus said and did, that does continue to the end of time, and so in that sense, it is true as well. This forum is itself an example.d